Transfer quarterback Jayden de Laura has left Texas State, one week after enrolling.
The school confirmed in a brief statement that de Laura withdrew, and the news came soon after de Laura settled a lawsuit regarding an alleged sexual assault case from 2018.
de Laura, one of two people sued in the 2021 civil case, was a minor when the alleged incident occurred in Hawaii, where he went to high school. He went on to play at Washington State and Arizona, and he entered the transfer portal this month after losing his starting job with the Wildcats.
As news of the settlement spread via the Texas State student newspaper, de Laura and the case drew attention, with students planning a Friday protest over his addition to the team.
Head coach G.J. Kinne told the campus publication that his staff reviewed the quarterback’s past before offering him a spot on the team.
“First, Jayden never pled guilty or was convicted of criminal charges, and he recently settled a civil case from an incident that occurred in 2018 when he was a minor in the state of Hawaii,” said Kinne in a statement before news of de Laura’s withdrawal. “During the recruitment process, our coaching staff visited with several of Jayden’s former coaches from his two previous schools, Washington State University and the University of Arizona, as well as others that know him closely. Each person not only spoke highly of his character but how he has developed into the man he is today.”
de Laura was projected to start at quarterback for Texas State, and after his commitment, incumbent starter T.J. Finley said he intended to transfer.
Finley, who was 8-5 in 2023 as the Bobcats’ starter, has transferred to Western Kentucky. It will be his fourth program after also playing at LSU and Auburn.
–Field Level Media